Crouching lion, hidden Owen: England win but it's a struggle

Wayne Rooney belatedly took his World Cup bow yesterday, a 30-minute appearance as a substitute sufficient to help England to a thoroughly unconvincing 2-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago.

After 47 days dominated by discussion of his broken foot, Rooney appeared after 60 faltering minutes in the Frankstadion, Nuremberg, and while he did not score - even saviours need match practice - his presence was the catalyst for England to throw off the torpor dogging them.

Goals in the last seven minutes by Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard finally saw off spirited opponents who did their utmost to frustrate the England players and the millions following them at home. On the downside Michael Owen was again substituted, leaving questions over both his fitness and form.

The captain, David Beckham, had a positive view on the win. "We never give up. That's the message we give out. People expected us to walk this game, but we never expected that. You've not seen the best of us yet, but we've put ourselves in a good position now to qualify," he said.

Kicking off at 5pm, the fixture had cleared English offices early, prompting unions to offer advice on how to execute a sickie and dire predictions from the CBI about the impact on productivity.

Judging by the passengers disembarking from 70 flights that descended on Nuremberg from the UK, however, the employers were not speaking from a position of strength.

The huge allocation of tickets to sponsors and corporate guests is one of the nascent scandals of this World Cup, but it is clear the English market has taken its share. Hundreds of fans emerged from the airport wearing sponsors' badges round their necks and trailing behind hosts escorting them at the start of a daylong jolly.

Midweek matches are always a better option for those on a junket as they require a day or two out of the office, and the large corporate presence took its toll on the atmosphere. Frankfurt hosted one of the most lairy England crowds in some time last Saturday. This was more sedate, even with the contingent of supporters that had dug deep for tickets, staying on from the weekend and camping in the campground next to the stadium.

The football did not help. England's early buildup play was almost as turgid as the rendition of God Save the Queen that came from the stands, and Sven-Goran Eriksson was left chewing his lip on the England bench as his side's reliance on hopeful balls aimed at Crouch's forehead silenced even the more enthusiastic present.

A mexican wave, the internationally recognised sign of a crowd losing interest, rolled round the ground after just 14 minutes, and just 15 minutes later the first calls for Wayne Rooney reached the England coach's ear.

They increased as Crouch threatened his cult-hero status with a horribly misdirected volley as halftime approached; and when England started the second half as witlessly as they had ended the first, Eriksson finally did what everyone except Sir Alex Ferguson was waiting for. It said everything that the roar that greeted Rooney's introduction after an hour was the loudest of the game.

For Trinidad and Tobago's players and their supporters there should be only respect. Gillingham, Port Vale, Luton and Coventry is a rollcall of English football teams you expect to see on flags of St George in stadiums, not on World Cup teamsheets.

Falkirk, Dundee United and St Johnstone were represented too, providing the Scottish supporters sighted this week from Berlin to Stuttgart with someone to cheer, and yet more reason for Ferguson to hope that England's World Cup campaign is short.

The chances of an early return home receded with England's late goals, and Eriksson now has a further four days to work on a formation and starting XI capable of significantly extending their stay. For Rooney there will be work on the fitness lacking yesterday, but no reduction in the weight of expectation resting on his recovering metatarsal.

While he was ending the first medical mystery of the tournament the Brazilian forward Ronaldo was kickstarting another. Yesterday his participation in the tournament was in doubt with news that he had been taken to a clinic suffering from dizzy spells.

Overweight and out of touch during Brazil's opening game on Tuesday, there were already suggestions that the man who has scored 12 World Cup final goals is approaching the end of the road.

For Rooney, thankfully, there is a long way to go.

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